Four Palestinians have been killed in Israeli air and artillery attacks across Gaza City as Israeli forces pushed farther into the city's eastern districts, expanding the occupation despite a ceasefire that took effect in October 2025, according to Palestinian medical and local sources.
The Palestine Red Crescent Society said on Thursday that 33-year-old Nihad Riyad Arouq was killed when an Israeli drone struck a tent sheltering displaced civilians near Gaza City's port. Medical officials at al-Shifa Medical Complex said several others, including children, were wounded in the attack.
Earlier, heavy Israeli shelling and gunfire near Dawla Junction in the Zeitoun neighbourhood killed 37-year-old Ibrahim Khattab and wounded his wife and children, hospital sources said.
Separately, al-Shifa Medical Complex received the bodies of Mohammed Al-Rifi and Suhail Ahdaibi after an Israeli drone targeted a gathering of civilians near Al-Sanfour Junction in the Tuffah neighbourhood, according to medical officials.
Israeli forces expand occupation
Witnesses said Israeli military vehicles advanced overnight near Dawla Junction under intense artillery fire, moving dozens of meters toward Salah al-Din Street and pushing westward the concrete barriers marking the so-called Yellow Line.
The advance further expanded the occupation by Israeli forces and reduced territory accessible to Palestinian civilians, prompting dozens of families to flee.
Activists also reported that shelling sparked a fire at a nearby commercial shop.
The Yellow Line is an Israeli-designated so-called security zone inside Gaza that Palestinians are prohibited from approaching.
According to Israeli officials, the military now occupies more than 70 percent of Gaza, compared with 53 percent under the October 2025 ceasefire arrangement.
The latest attacks came amid continued reports of Israeli violations of the ceasefire that took effect on October 10, 2025.
The Gaza Health Ministry said Israeli attacks since the truce began have killed at least 1,123 Palestinians and wounded 3,616 others as of Wednesday.
